Greatest Engineering Achievements

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Engi...ng_Achievements

* 1. Electrification

* 2. Automobile

* 3. Airplane

* 4. Water supply and Distribution

* 5. Electronics

* 6. Radio and Television

* 7. Mechanised agriculture

* 8. Computers

* 9. Telephone

* 10. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

* 11. Highways

* 12. Spacecraft

* 13. Internet

* 14. Imaging

* 15. Household appliances

* 16. Health Technologies

* 17. Petroleum and Petrochemical Technologies

* 18. Laser and Fiber Optics

* 19. Nuclear technologies

* 20. Materials science

 
I hate these lists because for some reason they trivialize all the little things that go into making these achievements.

As far as #1 I would say its the airplane.

Why? Because its something humans CANT do without the technology. All electricity does is give us better light and ways to cook stuff, which we can do with fire. Cars just give us ways to get around, which we can do with our own feet or horses. But flying is something that cannot be done by man without the airplane.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I think they are all amazing, but the ones that impress me are the things I could not possibly have imagined. You can stick out your hand while riding your horse and get some idea of Bernoulli forces and lift. Not that I would have ever connected the dots, but it can be seen and sensed. Now, radio waves and transmitting pictures through the ether in electromagfnetic waves? Never in a zillion years would I have thought of it. I guess when AC goes through a line I might pick up some sort of transmission accidentally, but I would have been baffled. I have an EE degree and I still don't 100% understand it.

 
I wonder why sewage collection and treatment didn't make the list. I thought that was generally considered one of the things that raised humanity from the level of the animals.

 
ce hopeful said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Engi...ng_Achievements
* 1. Electrification

* 2. Automobile

* 3. Airplane

* 4. Water supply and Distribution

* 5. Electronics

* 6. Radio and Television

* 7. Mechanised agriculture

* 8. Computers

* 9. Telephone

* 10. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

* 11. Highways

* 12. Spacecraft

* 13. Internet

* 14. Imaging

* 15. Household appliances

* 16. Health Technologies

* 17. Petroleum and Petrochemical Technologies

* 18. Laser and Fiber Optics

* 19. Nuclear technologies

* 20. Materials science
Click to expand...
I don't even know if I'd consider all of those "engineering achievements" per se... I'm an EE, but I can recognize the best part of the "electrification" effort was not the engineers, but the scientists who discovered the principals of electricity and the wage workers who made it all happen. I'd say similar about highways, nuclear science, etc. Likewise, the airplane (at least the first one) wasn't engineered, it was invented by a couple of bicycle mechanics. Engineers play(ed) key roles in all these, but I don't think I'd necessarily call most of them "engineering" acheivements.

Spacecraft, though- I'd think I'd consider that the greatest engineering achievement, only because engineering is so absolutely critical; every piece must be exactly as strong as it needs to be and no stronger, the lines must be exactly the right size, the temperature rise and materials chosen for just the right strength/temperature, the electronics designed not only to operate flawlessly, but to run on next to no power, etc, etc.

 
grover said:
Likewise, the airplane (at least the first one) wasn't engineered, it was invented by a couple of bicycle mechanics.
Click to expand...
Back in those days, bicycle mechanics were engineers and from these lowly mechanics, sprang inventions like steam engines, cars, airplanes, etc.. :(

 
Scarecrows were a great invention too.

HALLOWEEN.jpg


 
I think the order could be argued for a long time. In addition, some things may fall under the same categories.

Ed

 
^^^^^^I haven't yet found anything that serves the purpose better than that stuff. :D

 
FusionWhite said:
I hate these lists because for some reason they trivialize all the little things that go into making these achievements.
As far as #1 I would say its the airplane.

Why? Because its something humans CANT do without the technology. All electricity does is give us better light and ways to cook stuff, which we can do with fire. Cars just give us ways to get around, which we can do with our own feet or horses. But flying is something that cannot be done by man without the airplane.
Click to expand...

we can fly fine. landing is another issue. :lmao:

 

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